VIDEOS: Renovated Keenan building officially reopens

Mark Haworth, a partner with Bonacio Construction, and Troy Mayor Lou Rosamilia look over one of the apartments during the official grand opening of the Keenan Building Loft Apartments in Troy Friday. (Mike McMahon / The Record)

The exterior of the Keenan building, located at the intersection of Broadway and Third Street in downtown Troy. (Mike McMahon / The Record)

TROY -- Despite an overnight snowfall blanketing downtown, city politicians, business leaders and merchants crowded the lobby of the newly renovated Keenan building on Broadway for a special grand opening celebration Friday morning.

Built in 1882, the historic building recently underwent a refurbishing at the hands of Saratoga developer Sonny Bonacio, who partnered with real estate developer Mark Haworth to create a mixed-use space in the heart of downtown.

"We've re-done this building," Haworth said. "What was a beautiful outside is now a beautiful inside."

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The building was gutted, fitted and polished from top to bottom and now features a variety of apartments and retail spaces, Haworth said, praising the work of his partner.

"We worked closely with the historical authorities to preserve as much as we could of the windows, the doors and the tin ceilings," Haworth said. "We're very, very pleased with what's happened."

The building features 14 luxury apartments with lofted ceilings and grand windows, six of which are already in contract, according to Howarth.

The ground floor features four separate retail spaces, which Bonacio said are expected be fully leased within weeks.

"On our first floor, we had some existing tenants that at the end of the day weren't exactly what we had envisioned," Bonacio said. "So we're very happy to say that within the next two or three weeks we'll be announcing two new tenants that will give us 100 percent occupancy."

Bonacio would not disclose the new tenants for the space formerly occupied by Broadway Biergarten, a bar whose patrons have raised the concerns among some residents.

He called the new tenants "more of an early-evening dining establishment," rather than a "late-night" bar that he said "didn't fit the vision of a walkable downtown that we had."

Rosamilia called the refurbished Keenan Building, "Fantastic."

"It's my first time in here," the mayor said. "To see the doors, the beautiful windows, the woodworking and the moldings, it's fantastic."

Bonacio's purchase of the Keenan Building in the spring of 2012 started his company's entry into Troy real estate. Soon after the Keenan purchase, Bonacio acquired The River Triangle, the Dauchy, and the Cinema Arts buildings.

Bonacio's partner Haworth said he hoped to "eventually bring a cinema back to downtown," something he believes would further add to the experience of downtown Troy living.

The leasing company handling contracts for the loft apartments is Albany-based Burns Management.